Mother Dear
by Kainen
Summary: As a young woman and her darling prepare for revenge, a soul searches for the purpose of his existence. What he finds is the cold truth that innocence is all but a sham and that love is merely a dreamer's reality. [Alternate Timeline/Universe]
1. Default Chapter

Mother Dear 

By Kainen   
  


Prologue - Nibelheim   
  


A dark man accompanied by two soldiers at his side walked into town. His eyes, as they surveyed the surroundings, skittered left and right. His emotions were ice to the core. Black eyes reflected equally black feeling as he strode past the burnt ruins of one of many buildings. Suddenly, he turned his head to the side as he heard and then saw a man of middle age lying on the ground, his flesh charred and bleeding.   
  


The injured man's twitching and jerking body lay in a manner in which no ordinary human could possibly manage. His clothing was all torn and burnt; fused to his skin. In place of hair, there was blackened skin, scorched and soot-covered. His right eye had been seared away leaving raw nerves and tissue, while his left welled with blood and oozed yellowish-white pus. Through a red haze, there were silent pleas for help. His gurgled whimpering was sickening to the ear.   
  


Still alive. . . . . . .   
  


Broken. . . . . . .   
  


Pathetic. . . . . . .   
  


The man paused and lifted his nose to the air. He sniffed. Once. Twice. And wrinkled his nose. The already stagnant air reeked of ash and soot -- and of course, cooked flesh. The stench as imagined, was nauseating. The land around the man was covered in black snow that clung to the bottom of shoes and boots. The numerous bodies -- dead or dying -- strewn among the debris only added to the sickly scenery. 

The two uniform clad troopers eyed the dying civilian as they neared. One said nothing, knowing better, but the other slowed his pace and looked to his superior.   
  


"Sir. . .?" he ventured cautiously, not wanting to anger the man. "Do you want us to. . .I mean. . .?" He got no response. The trooper's superior payed him no attention, as if he was a fly on the wall. The man trailed off as he saw his words fall on deaf ears. The soldier swallowed thickly and kept walking, embarrassed.   
  


The troopers' superior, dressed sloppily in Shinra attire, brushed away his black bangs with long, bony fingers. Clasping his hands behind his back, the man walked on, ignoring the soldiers and the wounded man on the ground. When he reached the center of the town he stopped. Everything in every direction of the town was burnt to the ground. On the occasion, small fires dwindled against the cool wind that blew through the black skeletons of houses.   
  


Around him he saw that the other soldiers were busy picking their way through the ruins, checking for survivors or clues of any sort. Out of his coat, the man produced a pair a glasses and adjusted them upon the bridge of his nose.   
  


He kept his face hard and expressionless through it all -- the destruction, the horror, the carnage -- which surrounded him and his men. As the black haired man looked up and to the left, an old building came into view, reflecting off his lenses. It was the only building left in town that had not been tainted with blood or touched by flames.   
  


The Shinra Mansion. . .wonderful.   
  


The black haired man smiled -- an evil, wicked smile. Turning, he signaled the closest uniformed man nearest him to his side.   
  


The soldier came forward, halted and then saluted. "Yes, sir?"   
  


Gesturing to the bleeding man, the Shinra employee said, "Unfortunately, Commander, there are no survivors; note that in your log. Upon arrival, you and your team discovered that the town had been massacred," Eying the soldier carefully, the Shinra man finished, "I want you to make sure that there are no survivors. Am I understood?"   
  


The officer stared wide eyed at his superior's face, not believing what he had heard. "But, sir!" the green clad man started, "We can't just. . .I mean. . .sir! . . .you can't be serious!"   
  


Instantly, the scientist's eyes turned deadly, angry now. He was displeased with the kind of obedience he was getting from the man before him. He didn't like to be questioned -- ever. Not by any man, especially by ones below him. "Perhaps you didn't hear correctly, Commander," the man said tightly. "But I said there are to be no survivors! And if that means I will have to give an order so that you don't survive this mission, then so be it! But I do not appreciate your impertinence and disobedience!" The scientist's eyes were blazing black flames as they bore into the younger man. It made the soldier tremble.   
  


Stepping back quickly, the officer saluted, sweat beginning to form on his brow. "Y. . .yes, sir!" he gulped, then ran off.   
  


The Shinra scientist didn't bother to watch him go. Instead he turned to the remaining man, a captain. "You see this town? You see what has happened? Call in the rest of your squadrons, they have work to do. This incident never happened. The town will be as it should; as will its people -- in a sense. There was no fire, there was no death, and there was no Shinra involvement," Surprisingly, the scientist now held a calm manner about him as he spoke in a normal tone of voice. His words were quick and articulate. He began to smile. "Rebuild my town, Captain. You only have so much time. . ."   
  


The dark man looked toward the mountains, his smile broadening with every passing moment.   
  


*********   
  


Perfect. Simply perfect." The scientist readjusted his glasses and stepped up to the foot of the stairs of the reactor. Behind him the squad of soldiers he had brought with him halted a distance away. A group of soldiers had already been dispatched to the reactor earlier and had been instructed to simply investigate the situation. The squad leader came hastily down the metal steps to stop in front of the man before him.   
  


He saluted; back straight, head up. "Sir!"   
  


The man waved the other aside with an easy hand, stepping around him. He began to ascend the reactor stairs, instructing the captain and two soldiers to follow him inside the monstrous structure. Within the interior of the reactor, the four men walked past various system generators and machines; a steady humming noise emanating from each. All around, the slight smell of Mako wafted up through the many vents and open gas pipes. The men strode steadily in silence to a lone elevator. As they boarded, the scientist began to speak, "What have you found so far? Has anything been moved or tampered with?"   
  


"No, sir," the captain responded, relieved that the silence had finally been broken. "Ever since our arrival, nothing has been touched -- as you will soon see."   
  


"How many are there? Are they still breathing?"   
  


"There are two of them, sir, but barely alive. . ."   
  


The scientist snorted silently under his breath, contemplative. "Very well, then."   
  


The two soldiers behind their captain shifted uneasily, eying one another, their clothes rustling with each movement. They looked at the scientist uncertainly. The rest of the trip down into the center of the reactor was 

ridden in silence.   
  


*********   
  


Soon after the Shinra men had stepped off the elevator, the scent of Mako had been more apparent, but now, approaching the catwalk, the odor seemed to permeate throughout one's body, heavy and dense. The black haired man ignored the thick sensation of Mako weighing upon his shoulders as he looked over the rail at the Mako pit. Thirty meters below, the liquid Mako glowed a soft green as it bubbled and folded into itself. Massive pipes that sunk deep into the liquid gave off harsh steam and vapors at regular intervals, making loud hissing sounds as it did. A magnificent spectacle it was to behold.   
  


Returning his gaze to the catwalk, the scientist bent his head, eying the situation before him. On the ground in front was a young man dressed in uniform. His body lay face down in a pool of blood. The dark purple material that was his army attire was stained a hellish colour. On his back, a critical wound was evident, allowing his life's blood to stream over and down his sides. Though now, the flow was beginning to taper off. The reason for this -- his own body healing itself or running out of blood -- was something one couldn't say. The soldier's arms lay motionless in front of him, his legs the same, as his head was slightly turned to the side.   
  


Narrowing his eyes, the man turned to the captain, his hands behind his back. "Roll him over." was all he said.   
  


The red uniformed captain raised eyes to his superior, and with a look of distaste bent and hooked his gloved fingers under the injured man's left side. Lifting and then pushing, the captain rolled the motionless body on its back.   
  


His front was no better -- even worse. The soldier's blond hair, soaked as it was with blood, matted to his face; his eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. The left of his face was crusted blood while his right was a mass of sticky colour. His front had a wound identical to his back, clearly indicating that the cause of injury had been impalement through the chest. Bending down slightly, the scientist examined the soldier with minimal contact, being careful to avoid the drying blood. He found that the young man was indeed still alive and that his breathing, though shallow, was continuous.   
  


Rising, the scientist looked to the captain once again, noticing the man's disgusted look. "What can you tell me about this?" he asked.   
  


The officer's gaze snapped up from the ground and refocused on his superior, his mind fumbling quickly for the answer. "All that can be said is that a restricted area of this reactor had been broken into and had its contents stolen," Indicating the wounded man on the ground, the captain continued, "From the looks of it, he tried to stop whoever it was that had broken into the area, but unfortunately was overpowered. From what we can tell whoever the perpetrator is, he's very powerful."   
  


"And why do you assume this conclusion?" The scientist asked, hands again clasped at his back.   
  


"Well, sir," answered the officer. "As you can see from his uniform, he's a SOLDIER First Class. And those that are members are no one to fool with. To injure such a person in this manner would have needed considerable force."   
  


The man's superior just nodded, not quite listening. His eyes ran over the fallen SOLDIER on the ground, assessing him as much as he could. "You said there were two. Where is the other?"   
  


The captain jerked a thumb past his two troopers, indicating a place farther back into the reactor. "Back there. He's flat out on some pods that malfunctioned -- unconscious. That one's a SOLDIER too."   
  


"Where is the Commander of these two men?" the scientist asked sharply, his eyes burning a dark colour.   
  


The captain bowed his head, his shoulders drooping. The commander in question had been the best; all in Shinra knew him for his strength and ability; granting him the respect of all. The captain, in all honesty, regretted answering. "We don't know, sir," he said quietly. "There are no signs to his whereabouts."   
  


Looking long and hard, eyes narrowed, the Shinra scientist digested the information. "Are you positive?"   
  


"I assure you, sir, we have found no evidence of him -- anywhere."   
  


Closing his eyes, the black haired man vented his anger silently. All his hard work. . .gone without a trace. Thinking again, he reopening his eyes, pointing sharply at the captain then at the unconscious SOLDIER. "Attend to him. I will be taking him back with me -- the other as well. And those pods are to be fixed immediately, understood? I will attend to the rest of the damage later."   
  


Taking a moment to gather himself, the captain nodded quickly, standing at attention. "Yes, sir!" Turning to one of his men the higher officer said: "You! Get the others down here, now!" The soldier saluted and ran off. Indicating the other man, the captain started toward the rear of the reactor. "And you! Come with me!" Both of them then ran off, leaving the scientist alone with his thoughts and the injured young man.   
  


Smiling slightly, Hojo looked after the retreating forms of the Shinra men before returning his gaze to the figure at his feet. He never needed to ask the names of the two SOLDIERs found so close to death. The reason being, he already knew them. How long ago had he set this particular plan in motion. Now that one was gone, the other would take his place. There could be no failure.   
  


Yes. . .the loss was great but the gain would be far greater in time to come.   
  


End Prologue   
  


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Author's Note: View AN at end of Chapter 2 for a better understanding of the story. 

Have fun reading and enjoy.   
  


Comments? Questions? I look forward to hearing from you.   
  


Standard Disclaimers Apply. Final Fantasy VII is the property of Squaresoft and its affiliates.   
  
  
  
  
  



	2. A Beginning

Mother Dear 

By Kainen   
  


Chapter 1 - 4 years later   
  


Hurry! C'mon, move! Faster! . . .Why don't you run?! The man's mind was racing, his heart pounding, but still he wouldn't run or quicken his pace to a jog. He couldn't chance it, not if he wanted to escape. This time he would make it. This time, he wouldn't be caught and thrown back into his twisted hell; agonizing over seeing sadistic experiments performed on his friend -- and being able to do nothing. It was because of him -- his weakness -- that he was unable to stop a monster. The very being that started a chain of events that caused all of his friend's pain and torment, and in turn his.   
  


Zack shook his head trying to dispel memories of the past from flooding his mind, forcing him to remember. Can't think of times past now, the present is what's important. He looked down at the limp form of Cloud in his arms and held him closer to his chest. Cloud was deathly pale and he shook violently as shivers consumed his body. His appearance was not a sight to be seen. He was haggard and weak, both physically and mentally, while his skin molded itself to his ribs. Zack's friend was nothing like the strong, lithe boy he remembered from SOLDIER. When was it? Six years ago? Cloud was barely conscious, his eyes slightly opening and closing to reveal the secret they told the world. Zack caught a glimpse of the glowing Mako blue eyes and knew his shone with a similar colour and brightness. The legendary mark of SOLDIER -- something to be proud of.   
  


What a joke.   
  


The young man could have laughed then, his sides bubbling with the now forgotten tickle of emotion. If he could have allowed himself a minute of laughter, he'd have guaranteed it wouldn't have been out of joy. Shinra wasn't something to be proud of being part of -- it was something to loathe, hate, and despise. But the people of Midgar didn't know Shinra at all. They didn't know what happened behind closed doors of conference rooms, laboratories or test sites.   
  


Their ignorance was simple to understand: they didn't care.   
  


The rest of the world didn't matter, all that was important was to have a good time, to make money and then to drown losses and sorrows in drugs and booze; all the while trying to stay alive. Those who did care though, were few and could do nothing but watch and be ruled. The Shinra company of course took advantage of the faults of its people and hid itself well, masking its true nature to create an illusion of purity.   
  


God, they'll pay.   
  


Zack's face twisted with anger and he shook his head again, wanting to forget. His revulsion and hate for Shinra rose again as it did every time he had let his mind wander away from his present life. His present hell. 

Nothing else could be heard around the young man except for two pairs of feet hitting the metal grate floor of the hallway. The noise made Zack extremely uneasy. Usually he would be calm, cool, and collected; never letting anxiety get in the way of a mission. That had been in his military days, where he had ranked as a First Class SOLDIER. But that had been years ago. The number of missions he had missed since, to keep his skills sharp and deadly, were too many. But one could be reminded of the old saying: once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER. Which meant one could never forget his training or the experiences one went through as a part of Shinra.   
  


Right now, Zack considered all that out the window and forgotten. Right now, blood pounded in his ears over raw nerves. The tiniest sound like his breathing gave Zack a cause for alarm. He feared that at any moment now some Shinra guards would hear him and give chase. The pairs of feet hitting the floor were no exception. In Zack's eyes the hollowness of the hallway only served to magnify each sound ten-fold.   
  


Zack looked downward then, causing thick strands of hair to fall into his eyes. Past Cloud's body he examined his attire. He was dressed simply, as a prisoner should, in gray cotton shorts that covered his muscular thighs while simple shoes donned his feet; he wore no socks. On the top portion of his body he wore a white tank top overlaid by a gray sweatshirt. Cloud on the other hand, wore only a pair of shorts.   
  


Why in hell didn't I get Cloud a sweater?! Zack seethed at his momentary stupidity before he looked up and in front of him.   
  


"Wait, please," His voice cut through the air, cracking. The figure before him half hidden in shadows stopped and turned.   
  


"What's wrong? Has something happened?" The woman's voice was like water over rocks: cool and soothing while still managing to retain an air of authority.   
  


"It's Cloud. He's shaking uncontrollably . . . he must be cold." The ex-SOLDIER's response to the delicate voice was quiet and imploring.   
  


Though Zack knew the woman wasn't a certified doctor she did spend a good portion of her days working with medicines and patients to some degree. Because of this, Zack was confident she could ease Cloud's present physical state. Stepping out from the shadows, the woman slowly approached Zack; the white lab coat she wore shuffling silently at her ankles. Zack saw beautiful colours of green when he looked up from Cloud's form to the woman's face. Her eyes had a soft inner glow to them as brown specks of colour encircled the irises.   
  


The woman in turn looked at the young man in front of her. A stern, emotionless face gave way to momentary awe. He was quite handsome; his face wasn't marred with blemishes or scars from battle as others were. The ex-SOLDIER had sharp features -- all finely chiseled. His strong jaw line curved his face and shocks of midnight black hair framed it magnificently. His eyes were deep blue whose colour reminded her of the open ocean -- something she hadn't seen for quite some time. His round eyes stood out against everything else, accentuated by the Mako infused into them. But no, she thought, they could never compare to his. His eyes would never dull with age or sorrow or anything caused by man. Hisuniqueness was his own.   
  


The woman reached out to Cloud then, to the face who held the eyes she'd grown to adore. She stroked his face gently; her fingers gliding over his smooth skin as if he were a child. And, she thought sadly, in a twisted way, he was. In the process, the front of her lab coat slid out of a single button hole that held it closed and the ever so familiar glint of steel could be seen. Zack shuddered then, reminded of the events only less than an hour ago.   
  


*********   
  


"Zack, wake up!" Abruptly, under insistent hands, Zack woke from his slumber, his mind still in a fog of confusion at the sudden arousal. Was it morning already? Cloud still hasn't recovered from the last time . . . "Shh, keep quiet and get up and help me." A figure in the darkness of the cell stopped shaking him then and moved toward the cell doors -- which were wide open.   
  


"Huh? What are you doing here? What time is it?" Zack asked. Sleep was still pulling at him, weighing his eyelids down, but he rubbed at his eyes and managed to get to his feet. Pulling on a sweatshirt from a nearby night stand and following the woman, he intently waited for an answer.   
  


"It's one thirty in the morning," the figure outlined in black responded. "Early enough for us to slip out relatively unnoticed. We have precious hours before they come for Cloud again." The woman by the doors stood there and looked at Zack, wanting to know if he understood what she was saying. When he said or did nothing to convey his comprehension she elaborated, "I mean, we're getting out of here, all three of us. Away from them, away from Hojo."   
  


Zack was immediately awake at the mention of escape. Could they really do it this time? Seeing his reaction to her words, the woman continued, "It's been long enough. Hojo's work is killing Cloud instead of making him stronger," Turning, she snapped up some towels from a metal sink, stepped outside and began to wipe the outer walls of the cell. "We must be quick and quiet," she finished. "They haven't let up on all the security."   
  


A knot was beginning to form in the pit of Zack's stomach; it took him time to process what the woman was saying. It was surprising, she held her voice with such certainty and confidence. It was unexpected -- this whole nightly encounter. "What exactly are you doing? Aren't there suppose to be guards at the doors?" Approaching the cell's entrance with caution, Zack looked out tentatively. After his last attempt at escape with Cloud, Hojo had stationed two guards 'round the clock outside the laboratory holding cell. But at the moment, oddly enough, they weren't there and the hallway lights revealed why.   
  


What Zack saw made him sick to his stomach and he recoiled in horror. Both guards were on the floor dead. One soldier was lying on his side with a knife lodged up to the hilt in the side of his head. Blood welled around the wound and trickled down into his eyes before dripping into a small puddle on the floor. The other man was sitting, rather slumping, on the ground with his back against the smooth metal that made up the walls of the hallway. A crimson red smeared the metal leaving a bloody trail as the body had sunk to the floor. A knife protruded from the soldier's chest. His eyes were open, staring at nothing. Feeling a wave of nausea coming on, Zack gripped the cell door frame for support.   
  


"My God, you did this?!" he choked out, his voice suddenly hoarse. It was all he could do to keep the bile from rising in his throat. Such viciousness. . . The woman stopped what she was doing and entered the cell again, dropping the blood stained towels on the floor, and removed her lab coat. She flung the garment aside carelessly, seemingly oblivious to Zack's reaction.   
  


"Alright, now help me. We have to get these two set up in each bed," The woman bent and got a firm hold on the guard she had stabbed in the chest before she began to drag him in the direction of Zack's bed. The man's lifeless body left a trail of deep red as it swept across the cell floor, adding to the carnage.   
  


Zack still hadn't moved or even tried to speak. He stood where he was in disbelief as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. What left Zack speechless was the fact that the woman before him betrayed no emotion or feelings of remorse to what she had just done. She acted as if she did or saw these kind of acts regularly. So much so that she'd grown impervious to any sort of emotions she should have felt.   
  


For the first time since waking up, Zack looked at the woman instead of her actions. He saw that she was clad all in black, from her snug ribbed turtle neck to her heeled boots. Across her chest she wore a row of throwing knives secured diagonally from the top of her left shoulder to the bottom of her right hip where another, smaller, set of knives hung in a leather belt. On her outer calves on each leg a ten-inch blade was strapped in its sheath. Except that, Zack noticed, one of the deadly blades was missing. He looked to the bed he had previously occupied and saw grimly where it had gone.   
  


Where did she get such weapons? Zack thought. More importantly, how?   
  


With a quick motion, the woman pulled her knife from the dead man's chest, and, after whipping it clean, carefully slipped it back into its sheath. The woman in black then turned to Zack, who still had not moved. Irritation coupled with slight anger lined her voice. "It was necessary, Zack. Besides, this is nothing new to you, nor is it to me. You know that." Walking over to the only sink in the cell, she began to vigorously wash the blood from her hands. Continuing, she said, "You were in SOLDIER; they killed thousands -- especially during the war. You yourself have probably killed many without even putting a name to a face."   
  


"Never in cold blood." Zack retorted vehemently, his voice harsh at the accusation. But he had to accept the truth. He had killed many for Shinra, for SOLDIER. Back then that had been reason enough -- to defend Shinra, to kill for Shinra. That was a fact he couldn't hide. But always, he would say a prayer afterwards for the countless and faceless people whose lives he had ended. A foolish gesture, Zack knew, to ask for forgiveness but somehow it had cleared his heavy conscience.   
  


At Zack's response, the woman's green eyes flashed. They glowed with anger. Her voice turned hard and she spoke with malice. "These two weren't innocent! They were part of Cloud's nightmare, your nightmare, even mine. All they did was stand there taking blind orders, never stopping long enough to think of the consequences of their actions. They deserved to die, as do all the others."   
  


Her words made Zack cringe. He couldn't really blame her for being angry. Angry at her own life, her own helplessness, and of course her own inabilities within Shinra. Zack knew she hated whoever was part of Cloud's daily pain and anguish, and that included herself. Her anger was almost tangible and Zack couldn't help but shudder inwardly. "You know the situation," she stated flatly. "It goes deeper than what they're doing to Cloud." Her voice was soft now, subdued by the remembrance of the whole matter. Her anger and hate were gone, dissolved into something like . . . sorrow.   
  


Zack was silent. All that she had said was true.   
  


It was on one of her nightly visits to his and Cloud's cell that she had caught him looking at her with curiosity from across the room. Every night she would take the chance to sit beside Cloud's tired and sleeping form, muttering things of the past and of the present. Unspeakable things, so dark and horrible that no one should have had the right to utter them. But that's what Shinra did to people. They took what they wanted but gave nothing in return.   
  


Upon seeing Zack watching her, the woman decided to tell him everything: about Shinra, about Hojo, about Cloud and him, and about who and what she was. The pure insanity of it all had shocked Zack to the core. How could they . . . Hojo . . . do this to Cloud?! The very concept of it made Zack flare with anger and renewed hatred. If Zack had not lived it himself, he would have thought the whole thing a fabrication. But it wasn't. And that made Zack want to protect Cloud even more.   
  


After the woman had finished, she had made Zack promise never to tell Cloud. Her reason being that it would destroy him mentally to know his whole life was nothing more than what he was to Shinra. Zack couldn't agree to what the woman wanted, how could he? To let a friend keep living a lie. It was unheard of. The most he could offer was when he himself thought Cloud strong enough to handle what he really was, then he would be told everything. Having seen the determination in his eyes, the woman had bowed her head and said nothing.   
  


The stilled darkened figure within the cell seemed to snap out of her own reverie and refocus her sights on Zack. "I'll finish cleaning up outside," she stated. "You attend to Cloud and get the other guard set up." With that said, a pair of green eyes turned away from Zack and the woman exited the cell. Zack watched her go and sighed. He went to Cloud's bed and looked down at him. Such a pale thing he is. Can he really be what he once was? Zack thought to himself.   
  


Bending down, Zack slipped his left arm under Cloud's shoulder blades while his right went to support him under his knees. Cloud didn't even notice in the least when Zack lifted him up and set him down on the cold, hard floor of the laboratory cell. Straightening, Zack sighed again and turned to the cell's entrance where the other dead man lay. Zack reached for the guard and silently prayed that there would be no more blood shed for him to see.   
  


*********   
  


"Zack . . . Zack!" The woman in the white lab coat removed her hand from Zack's shoulder and replaced it in her coat pocket. "I'm sorry . . . Cloud's condition is not due to exterior causes." Her right hand went up to stroke Cloud's face lovingly. Over his pale face she ran her fingers through his limp hair and her face darkened. "There is nothing I can do."   
  


"Then just wait a moment," Zack said, bending down on one knee. Propping Cloud against him he took off his own sweatshirt and carefully slid Cloud's arms into the sleeves, pulling the rest of the material over his torso.   
  


"Zack, I implore you, we must hurry. Hojo has guards all over the place," the woman said in response to Zack's actions. Zack looked up quizzically.   
  


"I thought," he said slowly. "you were in charge of . . . this project . . . in Hojo's absence. Couldn't you exploit your position over them?"   
  


Shaking her head form side to side the woman replied, "Be sensible, Zack. They may not be your regular SOLDIER but they're not stupid either. They will know something's wrong when they see the experiment being carried by a prisoner lead by the assistant to the committee. Not to mention unguarded." Lowering her eyes to meet Zack's, she continued with concern in her voice, "Besides, I have the feeling they don't all trust me. For all I know, Hojo could've . . . " Trailing off, the woman turned her head away and covered her face with a hand.   
  


As she did, Zack, despite their current situation, couldn't help but notice the woman's hair shone with brilliance as it caught the light from above the corridor. The dark blonde waves that were her hair appeared thick and soft. Tendrils of colour framed her pale face, some obscuring the pools of green from view. The rest was made up into a tight bun at the very back of her head. The woman had a slim face with high cheek bones. Her eyes had a colour Zack had never seen before in any other woman. And that fact only made her more beautiful. Her full lips were moving now, and it took Zack a minute to realize she was speaking to him.   
  


"If we keep to the back hallways, those that aren't used regularly, we might have a good chance of making it to the stairway unnoticed. From the stairs, we'll go down eight floors to reach the twin elevators regular employees use on the fifty-ninth floor. Then, we'll ride it down and slip out the fire escape where I have arranged for transportation. Do you understand?" Zack's mouth was tight with tension and all he could do was nod his understanding. At the same time, he brought Cloud up once again to his chest.   
  


"But . . . can we really make it down sixty-seven floors that easily?" Zack managed to say, his voice sounding strained. "I mean, really, what do we do if -- "   
  


"There is no 'we'," the blonde woman cut off harshly. "You let me worry about it." With that, she turned around and started to walk off down the hallway with Zack following quietly behind.   
  


End Chapter One   
  


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Comments? Questions? I look forward to hearing from you.   
  


Standard Disclaimers Apply. Final Fantasy VII is the property of Squaresoft and its affiliates.   
  



	3. A Heartbeat Until Chaos

Mother Dear 

By Kainen   
  


Chapter 2   
  


Since it was early morning, most of Hojo's assistants and partners were still asleep in their homes. Their sanctuaries of rest were atop the many plates that surrounded the Shinra Building; which incidently, also made up the metropolitan city called Midgar. To the relief of Zack and the woman, security was not what is was four years ago when the two young men were brought to the Shinra labs. This was due to Cloud's considerable weakening in strength and Zack's ever deepening depression.   
  


To put it bluntly, the guards that prowled the laboratory floors and holding cells were only there to keep an eye on Zack and to serve as "escorts" for Cloud when going to the lab. Hojo knew how close Zack's ties were to Cloud and thus implemented the guards to control Zack. They were constant reminders if ever he forgot that his only purpose to Hojo was to keep Cloud in touch with his sanity.   
  


Because of the early hours and lack of personnel, there was no use for the labs to be lit at full power. The constant glow of the back up lights caused eerie shadows and obscurities to be cast upon the faceless, white walls of floor sixty-seven. As the doors of one of many secondary laboratories slid open, two figures clothed in shadows crept briskly past numerous vents and airing systems. 

Except for the monotonous humming emanating from each, and the occasional moan of pain from Cloud, the air was silent. The dim lights of the lab cast colourless, black shadows of a man and woman as they treaded through the room. The darkened images of them, resembling elongated beings with contorted features, danced and swept over the metallic walls and machinery. Abruptly, their movements ceased and they were still.   
  


Few people outside the Jenova Project #3, as it was called, safe for the guards, knew about the specially reinforced holding cells far behind the central and secondary labs. These cells were made specifically for Hojo's more . . . unconventional . . . projects and specimens to be kept. Namely to date: Cloud and Zack. For this reason the woman had to be especially careful. She knew there would be guards surveying the surrounding area and would be checking in on the labs and cells as their nightly routine. Motioning for Zack to stop, the blond haired woman took out her keycard, and slid it into the decoder by the lab entrance. After imputing the six digit access code, there was a soft metallic sound and the main laboratory doors slid open.   
  


The central laboratory was in one word: huge. As expected, it was outfitted with assorted mechanical devices and system generators, even more so than the surrounding sub-labs. The room itself had two levels and was far more detailed with technological advancements than any other facilities within Shinra's Science Department. A small but sturdy elevator shaft connected the main floor to the one above it. Beside it was a simple emergency ladder with a metal wire casing around its upper part.   
  


On the top level were mainly storage units for chemicals and genetic samples collected and classified over the years. They were safely guarded by an electronic access system with a lockout function. The second floor was built around the perimeter of the first, twenty feet above the ground. The floor's edges were guarded by a thin rail. 

At one end was a large structure with many buttons and levers. If one was familiar with operating such a machine, they would know that high above, attached to the ceiling, loomed a large crane. Its metallic fingers were hanging motionless, just waiting for someone to operate its controls below.   
  


On the main floor were many lab stations with different apparatuses set up. Scraps of paper, test results, notes, charts, and diagrams were scattered everywhere on each lab bench -- on the floor even -- without any trace of regard for them. Racks of test tubes and glass beakers littered the stations as well. Some even coming dangerously close to the edges.   
  


Such untidiness was characteristic of the Science Department Head, Hojo. He was known to the Shinra executives for being brilliant and shrewd but also very unkept and disorderly. He sought prospects in genetics and anything connected to it. The ideas he came up with amazed and delighted the Board and employees yet at the same time frightened them. Someone with such astuteness had to be watched and watched carefully. Of course, no one dared to openly admit their nervousness around Hojo -- especially the executives. That would show their weakness and in the Game of Life weakness only won you failure. So, comments were only spoken in the mind and softly between friends. Rumors did arise though, and one of them even questioned Hojo's sanity. . .   
  


As Zack and the woman ventured deeper into the laboratory, Zack was beginning to understand just how large the facility was. He stood in momentary awe at the sophisticated technology surrounding him. Everywhere he looked there were tubes and wires running every which way, connecting to ports and generators. This kind of machinery was unknown to Zack and by all means should be.   
  


For one, he had no real interest in such ventures. To be honest, the idea of playing around with genetics -- changing, "improving" DNA structures -- scared him. With someone like Hojo at the wheel, the results could be disastrous. Cloud was proof. Another reason for his disinterest was that he had been a member of SOLDIER. Its men were taught to fight and exercise their brains only to defeat an opponent, not solve genetic problems. SOLDIERs were brawn not brain.   
  


As Zack diverted his attention from his metallic surroundings, he came to focus on a part of the lab that was familiar to him and yet wasn't. He'd been here years ago, he was sure of it. But when exactly and what for? Out of the corner of his eye Zack noticed the blond woman standing in front of what seemed to be the main computer. What for, Zack didn't know. His attention was drawn back to what gave him a sensation of déja vu. 

At the far end of the room stood a row of large cylinders, measuring eight feet tall and four feet in diameter. They stood tall and proud side by side like soldiers in a front line. There were six of these monstrosities aligned near the wall. As Zack neared, he noticed a bed of sorts nearby. At a closer inspection he saw that it had a thin mattress and that it was, in fact, a gurney. On the floor were pedals that, when depressed, enabled the bed to move its occupant into a vertical position or a horizontal one. For the moment the bed was parallel to the floor.   
  


After gently setting Cloud down, Zack approached the first of six cylinders. The front was made of tampered glass while the back appeared to be solid metal. Laying his hands flat on its smooth surface, Zack peered through the glass door. Inside was a gas mask attached to a tube that ran to the top of the cylinder and out. Zack followed the type of tube and found that it was secured to a large tank. He read the label:   
  


WARNING! PRESSURIZED MAKO   
  


Mako gas. Hojo made people breathe this?!   
  


As Zack inspected the pods more closely, he found that there were strong straps inside, along the back. Also, near the base there was a small platform that was elevated above the bottom of the pod. Kneeling down and squinting a bit, Zack saw bits of what seemed to be green residue clinging to the metal platform. The realization dawned on him. ". . . liquid form. . . so that's what Cloud meant. . ." he muttered to himself, backing away from the tanks.   
  


The ex-SOLDIER's thoughts went reeling. They drown him in that stuff! Not only that, he's made to breathe it too! That's what Cloud meant when he said they made him turn green. . . At that, Zack winced involuntarily, his shoulders twitching. He doubled over in pain.   
  


Air. . . . . . . 

Breathe. . . . . . . 

Not the poison. . . . . . .! 

Why. . . . . . .!?   
  


"Wha. . .?" Zack gave a low groan and stumbled to regain his balance, hands clutching his head. What the hell? That voice. . .I recognize it. It was. . .no. . .I felt it. . .! The sharp pain in his head began to recede and then cease all together. After a moment, Zack was able to gather his senses.   
  


Standing straight, the young man blinked and shook his head, gazing up. Just what in hell was that? Forget it. It was nothing, just your own mind screwing with you. Random thoughts crisscrossed his consciousness in a jumble of confusion. Zack gave a final, weary look at the Mako tanks before turning back to Cloud, still lying on the gurney motionless. At the sight of Cloud, Zack furrowed his brow. Is it just me, or has Cloud gotten paler in just those few minutes?   
  


"Zack? I'm done. Are you ready to move?" Zack jumped, slightly surprise as he turned to the voice behind him. The blond haired woman stood there holding up two circular-shaped objects in her hand. "There is nothing more I can gain from the computer files without the proper access codes. What I could retrieve though, are all on these disks."   
  


"What are on them?"   
  


"Almost every file Hojo has made on the Jenova Project #3. Once we get out of here, you can kiss these goodbye." Turning and slipping the disks into her side pocket, the woman headed for a set of doors on the opposite side of the room. Pausing, she added: "I also wiped out as much as I could from the hard drive."   
  


"Where to now?" Zack asked, as he picked up Cloud once again.   
  


"Right through those doors which will lead --"   
  


At that moment, the twin doors on the far side of the room slid open, the metallic noise it made seemed to resound throughout the lab. Before whomever had opened the doors could enter, the blond woman used the dimness of the lab to her advantage.   
  


"Get behind that lab station -- now!" she ordered in a loud whisper, forcefully pushing Zack down.   
  


Ducking behind the nearest table, the woman made a grab for a glass beaker nearby. On the floor she began to quickly gather up the papers that were lying astray. Zack ended up crouching low to the ground while managing to curl Cloud up in his arms. Because of the sudden movements and the abrupt handling, Cloud was beginning to gain more of his consciousness back. His head was against Zack's shoulder and he groaned a bit before trying to move. Cloud then chose that moment to test his vocal chords: "Hey, bud," he whispered hoarsely, looking up at Zack, his eyes half closed. "What's up?"   
  


Please, Zack begged silently, not now. . .not here! Zack removed his arm supporting Cloud's knees and gently raised it over his friend's mouth. "Shh, Cloud. Don't worry, I'm here," the young man whispered in response. "You have to be quiet."   
  


"Mmm. . ." After a moment, Cloud nodded slowly against the supporting shoulder and closed his eyes. He did not stir again. Zack breath a sigh of relief and turned his head towards the woman who, like him, was crouching behind the lab station. She saw him and raised an index finger to her lips. Zack held his breath just as the silence was broken by a duo of voices.   
  


"Don't you hate the night shift?" a gruff voice asked. "I mean, every night we walk around doing nothing but check in on empty rooms and hallways, just to get paid close to nothing!" Two pairs of heavy boots could be heard entering the lab, the metal doors shutting behind them with a soft clicking sound. "Which is barely enough to live on!" the voice added in slight displeasure.   
  


A deep chuckle filled the air. "Jake, that's because you spend most of your off hours down in Wall Market looking at the 'Honey Bees'," The second man's voice was lighter than the first and spoke with amusement. "If you ask me, you should concentrate on things other than the ladies." Again, the voice chuckled.   
  


The man known as Jake rounded on his comrade, shifting his gun strap absentmindedly on his left shoulder. "Hey, pal," he started defensively, "A guy needs a hobby, don't he? Besides, who asked you?" His brown eyes, hidden by thick strands of hair, narrowed at the other man. Only after being sure he got his point across, and that his partner wouldn't be making any other snide remarks, did he turn away. "I hate the night shift." Jake said again, brushing at his bangs, muttering. His comrade behind him sighed.   
  


The Shinra guards then went about their duties: giving the area a general inspection. Soon they would be done and move to the other labs and then the hallway. The guards' tasks were that simple.   
  


"Goddamn! Look at this place! The barracks are cleaner!" Jake's voice was loud and distinct. His booted feet thumped hard on the laboratory floor. He was pacing.   
  


His partner concurred. "It is untidy for a science lab."   
  


The man looked about the room. Every time he and Jake went through the labs during their shift, the scene was always the same: the room always in disarray, Jake commenting with the same remarks and him responding with the same answers. It was getting monotonous. He looked at Jake pacing in front of him and sighed again. He didn't know Jake as long as their other comrades did, but he knew his attitude. He was a man of personal opinion with a hole in his face resembling more of a horn than a mouth.   
  


That mouth alone, he knew, was the reason behind all of his partner's reprimands and trips to the brig. Surprisingly, it never bother Jake to have all those past incidents entered into his army record. It was a wonder to everyone in their squad he hadn't already been discharged from the army for his behavior. But despite his crude manner and loud mouth, Jake was a competent soldier who was dedicated to his work. He was a good man but he could also be a jackass at the worst of times. Now was a perfect example.   
  


Behind the lab station, the woman was getting restless. It had already been more than five minutes since the guards' arrival and they still had not shown any signs of leaving. She would have to do something about that. She turned to Zack who looked back at her with wide eyes. She had vaguely noticed that he had been tending to Cloud who appeared to be regaining consciousness.   
  
  
  


End Chapter Two   
  


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Author's Note: Some of you have been wondering where this story is heading. Zack and Cloud are suppose to be escaping from the Shinra Mansion, what are they doing in the Shinra Building?(chap1) Cloud, it turns out, is just a plain Shinra guard, so what is he doing being portrayed as a First Class SOLDIER?(prologue)   
  


This story is not following the original RPG. I have no interest of novelizing the FFVII game. 

I see that as pointless. Those who have played the game already, will know what is to come, and that would already ruin most of the fun of reading it.   
  


What I am writing is an 'Altered Final Fantasy', where some major and minor characters have different roles than in the original game. Some of the good guys will, shall I say, be less than pleasant, and vice versa. Also, look for some original character(s) to make an appearance.   
  


Have fun reading and enjoy.   
  


Comments? Questions? I look forward to hearing from you.   
  


Standard Disclaimers Apply. Final Fantasy VII is the property of Squaresoft and its affiliates. 


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